Google finally launches its Allo messaging app

Google promised it would release both Allo and Duo, its new chat and video calling apps, this summer. Duo landed more than a month ago, but Allo is just barely squeaking under the wire before it’s technically autumn.

The Allo site is now live, and it gives you a rundown of the most important features of Google’s new messaging app. The app itself is still rolling out worldwide, and may or may not yet be available for you by the time you read this. As with Duo, Allo is available for both Android and iOS. Android users who just can’t wait can sideload the APK from APKMirror.

Taking another stab at messaging

Google has been criticized for its fragmented approach to messaging. Android phones often ship with Messenger, an SMS/MMS only client. Then there’s Hangouts, which is included as part of Google’s work offerings. We’ve seen Google Wave, then Buzz, and Google+ has backed off from its early ambitions as a “compete with Facebook” social network. Google launched a new group-centric communication app this summer: Spaces. 

In some ways, Allo seems like the most “Google-y” of the bunch. You attach Allo to a phone number (as with Duo), but it has deep ties into Google services. It has all the expected features of messaging apps these days: stickers, quick access to images (and, on Android, the ability to draw over them), the ability to adjust the font size to shout or whisper... but these days, Google is all about machine learning, and Allo is chock full of it.

Smart Reply learns how you respond to common messages and lets you send text or emoji responses that suit the way you normally communicate. The more you use Allo, the smarter its suggestions become.

That’s a nice touch, but it’s the Google Assistant that will make or break Allo. The next evolution of Google Now, the Assistant is a conversational helper. Just message @google (even in the middle of another conversation) to have Google search for that funny cat photo you took last week, or the latest score from your favorite team, or flight info, or the answer to a simple math problem... just about anything you could ask Google Now, you could probably ask the Assistant, and more.

Allo does not encrypt messages end-to-end by default, as Google’s Assistant can’t use all that web-based machine learning stuff to help you if it doesn’t know what you’re talking about. If you want to have a private conversation, you can invoke Incognito Mode to enable end-to-end encryption and control how long messages stick around before they expire.

Google’s latest messaging app is also mobile-only. There’s no PC or Mac client, and no web client. It’s kind of an un-Google thing to do, really. Even WhatsApp, which is similarly tied to your phone number, is available on Windows, Mac, and the web.

We’ll have plenty more on Allo when the app finishes rolling out over the coming hours.

Jason Cross | @jasoncross00 - Executive Editor, Greenbot

New Universal app campaigns and video capabilities for Google AdWords

At dmexco in Germany today, Google announced two new updates to its ad innovations that will help brands connect customers with what they want at the right time. These new capabilities are specifically aimed at mobile-first users.

Click here for the official announcement from Google. 

The new features AdWords is getting are the next generation of Universal App Campaigns and TrueView for action. Both these, Google claims, are sure to allow brands to better connect with their customers.

Apparently, AdWords has delivered more than 3 billion app downloads to developers and advertisers, until now. This is a huge number and Google seems to be very proud boasting it. But a great user base isn’t always everything. Brands and advertisers need to attain customers that are vital to their business — users who can help the company achieve its goal.

Keeping this in mind, the company is introducing whole new Universal App Campaigns. This service will be going live globally to all advertisers and will help them find customers in accordance to their defined business goals.

trivago, a popular hotel search app, has already been using this service for a while now. And according to Sridhar Ramaswamy, Senior Vice President, Ads and Commerce at Google, the company saw a good increase in its value, thanks to the new version of Universal App Campaigns.

The brand cares deeply about helping travelers find the perfect hotel room and knows that users who tap on a deal are more likely to take the next step: book a stay,

he writes.

[…] Universal App Campaigns was able to find users who were more likely to click on hotel deals in app to book a room. As a result, the travel brand acquired customers who were 20% more valuable to its business across both Android and iOS.

The businesses can choose the in-app activity (click here to learn more about in-app activity) they require to achieve their goal. To keep track, you can use third-party measurement partners or Google’s app measurement solutions like Firebase Analytics to measure those activities. With all that set, Google’s artificial intelligence will take it from there. Using the new service, Google will then refine your ads so you can reach your most valuable users at the right price across Google’s largest properties.

Depending on the types of users engaging with the ads, Google will then show more of your ads on those types of consumers. May it be via YouTube, Play or plain old ads on web pages.

Next up is a new format that encourages users to take any online action that’s meaningful for your business. Called TrueView for action, the service makes your video ad more actionable by displaying a tailored call-to-action during and after your video. This means ads can now become skippable — advertisers only pay when an ad gets viewed completely or drives a download or purchase.

Apparently, this new format will be useful for advertisers in “high consideration” industries. These include financial services, automotive or travel.

Google AdWords Multiple Account Access & Management

Google AdWords has added a feature that lets you sign in with one account and quickly switch between different AdWords accounts without using the MCC (My Client Center). Google is calling it "multiple account access and management."

The new features improves multi-account management where you can now access multiple accounts with a single login, quickly switch between accounts, and invite new users. You can now associate up to 5 AdWords accounts (including manager accounts) to a single email address. You can invite new users to access your account with a single click.. Once your colleagues receive your invitation, they can start accessing your account right away -- no email confirmation required.

To do so:

1. Click your email address or customer ID on the top right.
2. Click Manage AdWords accounts from the drop-down menu.
3. You’ll see a list of the AdWords accounts associated with your current Google Account.

Here is the switcher user interface:

Marketo's Definitive Guide to Digital Advertising

Marketo is one of the leaders when it comes to Marketing Automation Software and solutions. They have put together an interesting guide on Digital Advertising. I gave it a look and found it a very good read especially for someone coming fresh into Digital Marketing.

If you want to check it out click on the link at the bottom of this post:

From Marketo.com: Advertising has evolved. No longer is it restricted to print publications, static billboards, radio, and television. Modern technologies have opened the door to a whole new era of advertising–digital advertising. Digital advertising allows marketers and advertisers to reach and appeal to their core audiences in new ways and with more precision.

The challenge of meeting the modern buyer's expectation of a continuous, cross-channel, and personal experience is met with new ad technology and innovations that continue to advance at break-neck speeds. New ad technology platforms, types of ads, methods of tracking, dynamic ad content, and advances such as the Internet of Things now provide endless opportunities for marketers and advertisers to engage their customers personally and across channels.

In this comprehensive, 110+ page guide, we cover topics from the evolution of digital advertising, to how to structure your digital marketing team, to testing and optimization. Loaded with checklists, charts, and thought leadership from digital advertising experts, The Definitive Guide to Digital Advertising will teach you how to create strategic and dynamic digital advertising.

Download The Definitive Guide To Digital Advertising to learn: 

• What makes up digital advertising
• How to create your digital ad strategy
• The different types of ads you have at your disposal
• The pricing structures you can expect
• How to target your digital ads
• How to design your digital ads
• The types of ad technology that are available
• How to test and measure your ads
• Insights from industry experts
  

Click here to visit Marketo.com and download the Guide